St Augustine, the original Catholic church in Ashburton, will be celebrated at a special mass next month, three days after its 150th anniversary.
The wooden church built on Burnett St, opened on July 16, 1876 and seated 200 parishioners.
Anne Hooper said in its 103-year history the church was moved twice and used as a church, a hall and a classroom.
Organisers were wanting to honour the founders of the church by inviting their descendants to be special guests at the celebration on July 19.
“Current parishioners and families with an association with St Augustine church will gather to celebrate the Catholic Church’s first church in Ashburton, before joining together for lunch in the parish centre,” Anne said.
Parish historian Michael Hanrahan, who has researched and produced a handout on the church’s history, said from 1880 the church was used for worship at the weekends and as a school during the week, serviced by lay teachers.
“It is believed the church was dedicated to St Augustine of Hippo, as Father Jean Claude Chervier who celebrated the first mass in Ashburton in 1871 was a French priest,” Michael said.
Five years after the church opened, Ashburton became a parish in its own right. Its first parish priest, Father Edmund Patrick Coffey from Waterford, Ireland, arrived in March 1881.
A year later, the church was uplifted and moved ‘by the men of the parish’ to a new location on the grounds where St Joseph’s School sits today.
It continued to be used for worship and schooling while a new church was built.
This second Catholic Church, dedicated to Holy Name of Jesus, was brick and built on the site of the first church. It opened December 10, 1882.
“It was damaged in an earthquake in 1888 but survived until 1931 when the third church was opened,” Michael said.
The first church moved again in 1951, this time to the west side of the school grounds to allow new St Joseph’s school buildings to be built, Michael said.
It was used as the parish and school hall ,and occasionally as classrooms as the school roll increased.
In 1978, after 103-years of use it was demolished.
Organisers of the commemoration are looking for photographs of the church, in any of its uses, and would like to hear from people who had Catholic ancestor in the Ashburton area in 1876.
– Anyone wanting to attend the celebrations are asked to email the church on [email protected] by July 6 for catering purposes. If you have photos or information that could be used as part of the celebration either email the church or drop into the office at 58 Sealy St.
